Relations with both neighbors improving: FM Mahat

KATHMANDU, Feb 1: Stating that relations with both India and China are improving, Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised to visit Nepal in the near future.

Responding to lawmakers' concerns about the government's efforts toward maintaining balanced relations with both the neighboring countries at the meeting of International Relations and Labor Committee of parliament on Tuesday Mahat said China was never unhappy with Nepal.

Lawmakers had accused the government of tilting toward India and also failing to welcome the Chinese president to the country. “Our relations with both the countries have been improving. During the BRICS summit held in Goa, India, Chinese president promised to visit Nepal. But the date for the visit has yet to be fixed,” said Mahat.

The minister further said that Nepal has expressed its strong commitment to disallow the Nepali territory to be used against any of its neighbors. Addressing lawmakers' concerns, Mahat also assured lawmakers of implementing the agreement forged with China by the previous governments.

Lawmakers had criticized the government for its failure to appoint ambassadors to several countries. In response, Mahat said that the government is in the process of appointing ambassadors.

The International Relations and Labor Committee meeting has directed the government to appoint envoys to Nepali missions in various countries at the soonest, according to committee chairman Prabhu Sah. Ambassadorial positions in around a dozen countries remain vacant for over a year now.